'Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine' preview: Fighters jockey for position in new era

In bout after main-card bout, proven Strikeforce commodities meet their lesser-tested counterparts in “Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine,” which takes place Saturday at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The event’s headliner features middleweight champ Luke Rockhold’s first title defense, and it comes against longtime UFC veteran Keith Jardine, who’s attempting to reinvent himself after a rocky run at light-heavyweight.

The co-main draw has the well-traveled Strikeforce veteran Robbie Lawler (18-8 MMA, 2-4 SF) meeting an import from the promotion’s Challenger series, middleweight Adlan Amagov (9-1-1 MMA, 2-0 SF), in what could be a potential starmaker or a hand-wrapped highlight reel for an old-timer.

Strikeforce’s thin ranks make it the current land of promise for those who’ve built their resume in the promotion’s up-and-comer series.

The event’s main card airs live on Showtime while preliminary-card fights air on Showtime Extreme (during a “free-preview” weekend). It’s the first show of an amended deal between Strikeforce parent company Zuffa and the premium-cable network following months of uncertainty about a broadcast relationship that previously existed under the fight promotion’s previous owners.

As a result of the uncertain climate, the Strikeforce stars feel like they’re hovering at a rest stop before the promotion moves on and their careers resume.

Champ Rockhold (8-1 MMA, 7-0 SF) hasn’t been shy about calling attention to the issue, nor has he hesitated in expressing confusion about fighting a fighter who’s coming off a draw in the promotion. He’s called for Zuffa to import fighters from its big-brother promotion, the UFC, to help chart a matchmaking course that stretches more than six months and gives his belt some measure of legitimacy.

Right now, it’s uncertain whether he’ll even have a title bout on his hands. Jardine (17-9-2 MMA, 0-0-1 SF) this week raised doubts about making the 185-pound limit after revealing that he has ample weight to lose and hasn’t done a test cut to see if he could even make the limit.

Lawal got little notice that he was scheduled to fight on Jan. 7. And while Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has anticipated the standout wrestler will get a shot at the promotion’s belt, Lawal has given up on predictions about what’s next in his career. If he wins, he’s likely to face Gegard Mousasi some time this year. If he loses, he has just one fight remaining on his contract and no guarantee he’ll be scooped up by the UFC.

Tyron Woodley (9-0 MMA, 7-0 SF), who meets Jordan Mein (23-7 MMA, 1-0 SF) in the bout prior to Lawal vs. Larkin, faces yet another hurdle to a welterweight title shot despite being one of the Strikeforce’s only true homegrown prospects who’s managed to stay unbeaten. After former champ Nick Diaz snubbed him as a contender and moved to the UFC, Woodley stands to lose the momentum he’s built in seven fights with the promotion.

Meanwhile, Tarec Saffiedine is waiting in the wings for a rematch after Woodley outpointed him to claim the mantel of top prospect. Understandably, Woodley isn’t interested in granting a rematch 12 months after they fought, but with the current state of things, he may not have much choice, especially if Saffiedine (11-3 MMA, 3-1 SF) wins his main-card bout against hard-hitting Tyler Stinson (22-7 MMA, 1-0 SF).

By mid-2012, Strikeforce expects to fill vacant titles in his welterweight, light-heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. So it’s time for the promotion’s fighters to make the best of things while the promotion’s event schedule contracts under the new television deal. With six to eight events on the docket for 2012, the fighters have precious little time to make an impact in the division, and hopefully, put themselves on the path to what they all really want: a trip to the UFC.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.